Wandering Swordsman |

The sunlight was still shining on the bluestone bricks of the training ground, and a gentle breeze was rustling the shadows of the trees; everything seemed peaceful and orderly. However, just as everyone was waiting for the third round of testing to begin, a series of heavy and orderly footsteps broke the tranquility.

"Thump—thump—thump—"

The footsteps sounded like the beating of war drums, carrying a sense of oppression as they approached from afar.

Immediately afterwards, dozens of elite martial arts warriors, dressed in black robes with gold patterns and long swords at their waists, surged into the training ground from all directions. Their movements were swift and orderly, instantly surrounding the entire square. Their gazes were cold and their expressions solemn. Their weapons were not yet drawn, but they already exuded a chilling killing intent.

The crowd immediately stirred. The young talents who had been talking in hushed tones stopped what they were doing, looked at each other with bewildered expressions.

Just then, a clear and authoritative voice rang out in the room:

"I am Situ Changkong, and I am now commencing an emergency inspection mission! No one is to move without authorization!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a man dressed in black, with a cold and stern face, slowly walked into the arena. This man was none other than Situ Changkong, the senior disciple of Jingtian Pavilion and the personal disciple of the martial arts alliance leader.

Behind him, two armored guards escorted a man slowly forward. The man was dressed in the uniform of a high-ranking member of the academy, but his clothes were now torn, his face covered in blood, and his eyes were dull and lifeless, clearly indicating that he had been tortured. He hung his head, staggering as if he might collapse at any moment.

Shen Mo stood in the crowd, his gaze sharpening, his mind slightly trembling. Relying on the demonic energy hidden within him, he instantly sensed a trace of aura remaining on that person—that person was the high-ranking member of the academy whom Situ Dengfeng had introduced to him. Although he wasn't wearing a mask at the moment, Shen Mo clearly remembered his aura.

Could it be that Situ Changkong is preparing to make a move against him? After this thought arose in Shen Mo's mind, he did not act rashly. Instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly and observed the development of the situation calmly.

The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense, with everyone waiting for Situ Changkong to speak.

Finally, he surveyed the entire room, his voice booming like thunder: "Ladies and gentlemen, the demon Ling Tiancheng, whom the Martial Alliance has just imprisoned, has revealed a shocking secret!" He paused, his tone suddenly becoming more serious, "According to his confession—among those who came to join the academy this time, there was a spy from the Demonic Sect infiltrated!"

The moment the words "Demonic Sect" were uttered, it was like a thunderclap, instantly causing a huge uproar throughout the entire training ground!

The previously whispering crowd fell into a deathly silence, as if even breathing had been frozen. A few breaths later, gasps and murmurs erupted.

"The Demonic Cult?! Didn't the Martial Alliance investigate for a long time when it was founded a few years ago, but they couldn't find any trace of the Demonic Cult?!"

"The Demonic Sect was once wiped out by Hero Situ, but now that it has risen from the ashes, it will definitely have to hide its tail between its legs."

"I don't think so. Back when the old Martial Alliance was still in existence, my father fought against the Demonic Cult with the Alliance. Those people in the Demonic Cult valued strength above all else and were fearless."

......

In an instant, hushed discussions began to ripple across the square. Many people even subconsciously took a few steps back, distancing themselves from those around them, their eyes filled with wariness and suspicion, as if everyone around them might be a hidden remnant of the evil cult.

An invisible fear permeated the air; people turned pale at the mention of demons, and everyone felt insecure.

Situ Changkong's voice echoed in the training ground, like a cold wind sweeping through withered branches, carrying an undeniable pressure.

"Just to be on the safe side, I've decided to immediately conduct an internal energy check on everyone present to see if anyone is secretly practicing demonic arts!"

These words caused an uproar, as if a huge rock had been thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves.

"What?! This is outrageous!" a young man from the Qingcheng Sect shouted angrily, his face filled with disbelief and rage. "We are all disciples of the righteous path, how can you humiliate us like this!"

"Excellent!" Another youth in white robes stepped forward, his voice rising. "This is an insult to our character! It is disrespect to our sect!"

A chorus of agreement immediately rose from the crowd, a mixture of anger, discontent, and fear, like a kettle about to boil over and potentially burst at any moment.

However, faced with the protests of the crowd, Situ Changkong merely raised his eyebrows slightly, and the cold smile on his lips deepened. He did not get angry, nor did he refute, but instead slowly raised his right hand, fingers spread, palm down—a gesture that exuded a strong sense of oppression.

His gaze swept across the entire room like a blade, and whoever his gaze fell upon would involuntarily lower their head, as if shrouded in an invisible pressure.

"This matter is of great importance." He spoke coldly, his voice low but clear, each word like a nail hammered into everyone's ears, "If anyone disobeys orders..." He paused, a sharp killing intent flashing in his eyes, "then he shall be considered a suspect and detained on the spot."

That short sentence was like a thunderclap, instantly silencing the restless crowd.

The few people who were just moments ago filled with righteous indignation were now completely silent, not daring to utter a sound. The entire training ground fell into a deathly silence, with only the rustling of the wind through the treetops, like some kind of silent lament.

Shen Mo stood still, his expression calm, his eyes as deep as a still pool, as if none of this concerned him. But in truth, he knew that this sudden inspection was aimed at him.

Sure enough, a few moments later, several members of the Martial Arts Alliance inspection team began to move through the crowd as if it were a routine matter, casually pressing on the pulse points of several people and closing their eyes to sense the flow of energy within their bodies. Although their movements were quick, it was clearly just a formality.

"No abnormalities found."

"Pure aura."

"No demonic energy remains."

......

As one "innocent" conclusion after another was announced, the tension among the onlookers eased somewhat.

However, in the midst of this seemingly fair investigation, the eyes of those inspectors quietly fell on Shen Mo's direction.

Their steps were slow but firm, like hunters locking onto their prey and closing in step by step.

An invisible layer of frost seemed to have condensed in the air, making it so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Shen Mo sneered inwardly, but his expression remained impassive. He observed Situ Changkong's expression discreetly—his cold face remained calm, except for a barely perceptible hint of smugness hidden deep in the corner of his eye.

The scent of conspiracy has already begun to permeate the air.

He gently turned to the side, adjusting his body to the most suitable posture for dealing with any unexpected situation, while glancing at Murong Qing, Zhou Xinlian, and Qin Wan beside him. They also noticed the change in atmosphere and cast worried glances at him.

Especially since Murong Qing knew Shen Motian's identity as a demon god. She pursed her lips and frowned, as if she wanted to say something, but Shen Motian stopped her with a faint look.

Murong Qing understood. It was precisely at times like these that one needed to remain calm, but her anxiety about Shen Mo's identity being exposed did not diminish in the slightest.

She knew all too well that once Shen Mo was labeled a "traitor to the evil cult," unimaginable consequences awaited him.

Just as everyone was holding their breath, one of the inspectors finally stopped in front of Shen Mo.